Almost 15 months ago, Tata Group took over the reins of the beleaguered Air India from the government.
Since then all the efforts to turnaround the airline’s fortunes were implemented without many hiccups.
Change In Policy Caused Disruption
It was quite smooth until it changed policies for its workforce, or more specifically, the pilots.
So far, the Tata Group’s five-year transformation plan for the airline—Vihaan.
Under this AI—the airline placed a historic order of 470 aircraft, committed $400 million to completely refurbish existing aircraft, and $200 million for overhaul of information technology systems was taxiing smoothly.
It appears that the ‘take-off’ or the second phase of the transformation plan is facing turbulence.
The airline seems to have missed a trick or two while offering new contracts to the pilots, who allege the latest terms and conditions favor the company, by forcing them to agree to open-ended clauses.
Unions Objecting Terms And Conditions
According to the union representative, “We are objecting to the terms and conditions of the contract, which leaves space for the airline to amend and change the clauses in future. What are my entitlements, rights and leave policy?”.
These two unions including Indian Pilots’ Guild and Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association, claim to represent more than 1,000 pilots out of the nearly 1,800 pilots with the airline.
Earlier, the management said the promotions will be based on merit, but when the actual contracts were offered, it was all based on seniority—offering pilots with more than four years of experience, management duties, said the unions.
While protesting the new terms and conditions, the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association sent a legal notice dated April 21 to Air India’s Chief Human Resources Officer Suresh Dutt Tripathi.
The notice mentioned that “Air India, in its proposed revised terms and conditions of service, has ‘declared’ that all commanders with merely 4 years seniority in Air India will be ‘promoted’ as ‘Senior Commanders’, which is an ‘Executive Role’.”
According to this, the so-called ‘promotion’ is merely a smokescreen to remove the union’s members from the category of ‘workmen’, and consequently from the protection of all labor law, and therefore, is utterly illegal and cannot be foisted on them unilaterally.
They are being forcibly promoted to management cadre, even if they wish to retain the present designations and roles, union members feel.
The representative noted, “90% or nearly 900 pilots of the union qualify for ‘promotion’ to management duties, but there aren’t as many roles available. This move is just to ensure that you become part of the management, so you can’t be a union member,”.
So far, Air India has not released any statement in this regard.
Besides this, the unions also highlighted that they will essentially get lower compensation, as there is no concept of getting paid when you are not actually flying.
